The present invention relates to a remotely manipulatable clamp for connecting two pipes equipped at their ends with conical end pieces or nipples.
At numerous different methods are known for connecting or coupling together pipes. It is in particular known to equip pipes with conical nipples which are connected by means of a clamp having an internal frustum-shaped profile complimentary with respect to that of the nipples. This procedure has the advantage of making it possible to reduce the forces of stresses applied. Thus, the tightening or clamping force applied to the clamp makes it necessary to reduce the diameter thereof. The resulting radial force is converted into an axial clamping or tightening force by the cooperation of the complimentary frustum-shaped surfaces of the clamp and the nipples.
In the present state of the art, there are several types of clamps with a conical internal profile used for joining pipes equipped with frustum-shaped nipples. Thus, it is known to use articulated clamps, clamps with bushes, split collet clamps, etc. However, none of the existing clamps can be remotely manipulated with a single manipulator gripper, which leads to certain difficulties when it is wished to join by this procedure pipes to which access is only possible by means of manipulators. This is particularly the case with pipes located within confinement enclosures, particularly in the nuclear industry, as well as for pipes located at a point inaccessible to humans.